Vancouver Canucks Are Handling Nikita Tryamkin Right

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Nikita Tryamkin seems to be rotting in the press box, but that is the correct way to handle him right now.

When Nikita Tryamkin joined the Vancouver Canucks late in the 2015-16 season, he seemed like a saviour. But things change quickly in professional sports, and Tryamkin is hardly even in consideration for the lineup this season. Keeping him around for the sole purpose of not losing him to the KHL seems stupid, but it is probably the best option at this point.

Well, the best option would be to have him play with the AHL Utica Comets, but since Tryamkin won’t agree to that, keeping him in the press box is the next-best thing.

Young players need ice time to develop, that’s right. I totally agree with that.

Want your voice heard? Join the The Canuck Way team!

But I definitely do not agree with people saying Tryamkin should be let go to Russia because he is taking up a roster spot for nothing. Even if Tryamkin eventually agreed to going to a KHL club on loan, I don’t think that would make sense.

One of the Canucks’ issues is that Tryamkin returned to training camp this year far from NHL shape. He isn’t fit enough to play at the highest level, so the Canucks want to get him there. It would probably be easier to get him there while he is playing in Utica, but having him practice with the Canucks is okay, too. If he gets returned to Russia, even if it’s on loan, the Canucks have no idea what he is doing and have no way of influencing his development.

Furthermore, Tryamkin will be needed soon enough.

When Chris Tanev got injured, the Canucks preferred to call up Troy Stecher. That totally made sense because of the training camp Stecher had and the chemistry he displayed with Alex Edler. Plus, the Canucks got a right-handed defenseman for a right-handed one.

Then there are those saying even Alex Biega is ahead of Tryamkin on the depth chart. Biega got into one game so far, playing at forward before the Canucks had time to recall Jayson Megna to replace the injured Alex Burrows. Would you have preferred Tryamkin on the wing? I wouldn’t have.

The Canucks are currently working on getting Tryamkin into game shape. Once he is there, I could see him drawing into the lineup for Luca Sbisa every once in a while.

If that doesn’t happen, injuries will. The amount of injuries Vancouver’s top players suffered last season isn’t normal and should hopefully not repeat itself. However, injuries always happen, and having three injured defensemen at the same time isn’t uncommon.

Once injuries hit, and they will eventually, Tryamkin will be needed.

That could happen next month, or the one after, or maybe not until next year. But it will happen eventually, and Tryamkin will be needed.

The current situation isn’t great. But the Vancouver Canucks are handling it the right way.